Viva Vivaro!

Fresh looks, fresh engines and fresh technology. Richard Gooding inspects the latest LCV consignment from Vauxhall

The Vauxhall Vivaro has been a mainstay of the UK D-segment middleweight van market since 2001. Manufactured in Luton, over 600,000 examples have left the production lines.

Although built in Britain, all is not exactly as it seems. The Vivaro is a joint‑venture product between Opel/Vauxhall and the Renault-Nissan Alliance, also appearing as the Renault Trafic and the Nissan Primestar in chosen markets. The latest versions of both the Vivaro and the Trafic enjoyed their UK debuts at The Commercial Vehicle Show in April 2014. How does the new version of the load-lugging Vauxhall stack up?

Four body styles
The new Vivaro is marketed under the slogan ‘Built to take it all’, and with four body styles and two lengths and two heights, it certainly appears to have all bases covered. Panel van, double cab, nine-seater combi and platform cab versions are available, with the basic panel van starting at £17,995 excluding VAT. Two trims can be specified: Vivaro and Vivaro Sportline. Vauxhall points to the new Vivaro’s  ‘class‑leading build quality and practicality with improved cargo dimensions and excellent payload capability’ – and first impressions are good.

The new Vivaro is smart-looking and in Sportive trim as tested here, features body‑coloured bumpers, side mouldings, exterior mirror housings and rear light surrounds; LED daytime running lights and front fog lights; along with full-size wheel trims. VX14 XYZ also came fitted with optional £465 17‑inch alloy wheels. There are distinct visual references to the old model, but overall the new Vivaro looks thoroughly modern.

Make yourself comfortable in the cab, and the Vivaro’s shared French heritage is plain to see. Renault-like switchgear makes its presence felt, and that’s no bad thing. All the controls feel built to last and are tactile in touch. The dashboard is stylish and very car-like with Clio-like dials and cowls, in addition to Renault’s well-thought out media controls mounted behind the steering wheel. Sportive models are well‑equipped, too. Standard kit includes: DAB radio with Bluetooth/USB/AUX-IN/CD capability; air‑conditioning; cruise control with speed limiter, leather‑covered steering wheel and gear knob; chrome instrument rings; black ‘Connect’ cloth trim; and a twin passenger bench seat with dump latch centre section featuring storage, tray and dual-position clipboard ‘mobile office’ facility.

Practical and functional
The FlexCargo bulkhead is also fitted as standard, which allows longer items to be loaded through the bulkhead hatch and below the passenger seat. Maximum load length increases to 4.15m. It’s a practical touch and one which adds to the already functional nature of the Vivaro. Even the smallest L1H1 (shortest length, shortest height) version boasts a load volume of 5.2m3 and a gross payload of 1,080kg. The biggest L2H2 variant is capable of carrying 8.6m3, while the L2H1 version has the biggest payload of the range at 1,270kg. The standard height of H1 versions is 1,387mm, rising to 1,898mm for the H2s. Load length varies from 2,537mm for the shortest models to 2,937mm for the largest. To enable ease of manoeuvrability, a parking sensor system is fitted.

Powering the new Vivaro is a family of four 1.6-litre diesel engines. Two turbodiesel CDTi units have 90 and 115bhp, while a pair of BiTurbos offer 120 and 140bhp. Our test model was fitted with the 120bhp option, and allied to a Start/Stop system and Vauxhall’s ecoFLEX technology is the greenest in the range. With CO2 emissions of 155g/km and a claimed 47.9mpg, Vauxhall states that ecoFLEX models can offer a fuel consumption reduction of up to 10 per cent through use of the on-board ‘Eco Mode’. Switchable by a button on the dashboard, the system limits both engine power and torque, smooths throttle response and inputs, and reduces the air-conditioning’s functionality. A gearshift indicator in the instrument panel shows when is the best time to change up or down, and a ‘driving style’ indicator displays green when the Vivaro is being driven at its most efficient.

Driving the new Vivaro efficiently is easy thanks to these on-board systems – a multifunction computer lets the driver keep track of trip mileage, immediate, and average fuel consumption. Providing one of the most car-like driving experiences of any van we’ve tested (one of Vaxuhall’s key aims as a result of customer canvassing), the new Vivaro is sprightly through the gears (thanks to its 236lb ft/320Nm of torque) and refined at a cruise. Indeed, the refinement levels shame some cars. It feels equally at home in town or on the motorway, with handling which betrays the traditional top-heavy feel of most vans. In short, it’s a fun light commercial vehicle to drive.

Environmental conscience
Competitively priced in a market which features an onslaught of rivals such as the Citroën Dispatch, Ford Transit Custom, Mercedes‑Benz Vito, Renault Trafic and Volkswagen Transporter, the new Vivaro looks set to continue the model’s success story in the UK, adding to the 170,000 vehicles already sold here. Vauxhall forecasts that almost three-quarters of sales will go to fleets. Accordingly, service intervals are every 25,000 miles or every 2 years, while a 100,000-mile/3-year warranty is standard. Greener than most, the new Vivaro offers medium-sized van drivers with an environmental conscience a practical, cost‑effective commercial option. A dash of driving pleasure just adds to the its wide‑ranging repertoire.

Vauxhall Vivaro Sportive L1H1 2900 1.6 CDTi ecoFLEX
GROSS PAYLOAD: 1,080kg
LOAD VOLUME: 5.2m3
ENGINE: 1,598cc, four-cylinder diesel
CO2: 155g/km
MPG (combined): 47.9
VED: £225
PRICE (ex-VAT): £21,588.33
(£22,258.33 as tested)